Knight's pond

[Megawatt]

Has anyone done the trail at Knight's pond in Wolfeboro? Is it an easy walk (I'll have a 27lb. toddler on my back)? Are there good places to stop for a picnic? Also, is there a lot to park in or does one park on the road?

Thanks in advance!

[Lin]

Hi Megawatt, I've never hiked the area but it is listed in a neat little book I picked up last year while at the Moultonborough General Store. It's called Nature Walks in the New Hampshire Lakes Region, An AMC Nature Walks Book by Julia Older and STeve Sherman. It can fit in a fanny pack or a cargo pants pocket. The Highlighted area starts out saying it's a 2.4 mile walk, one hour and 15 minutes, moderate hike. The Getting there directions say: from the blinker at South Wolfborough rte 28 drive south 1.6 miles to Stagecoach Road. Turn left and drive 1.1 miles. At Y junction bear left on Rines Road. Drive .05 mile to the Knights Pond Conservation area sign and a gate on the left. Pass through this gate and travel another .05 mile to the parking lot and another gate. The access road to the pond starts here. Other guidelines were carry in/carry out rule; dogs on leash and park in designated area. They say there is a picnic area in the grassy area. Have fun!

By the way this book lists 50 hikes. It lists where they are and has small maps of the location, gives directions and parking info, descriptions of the area and trails and do's and don'ts. It includes the milage of the trails, whether they are easy, moderate or difficult and how long it would take the average hiker to complete it. Also lists the agency or group that owns or controls the trail.

[mcdude]

It's a nice little walk that is pretty much level and probably perfect if you are lugging a 27 lb. toddler. There is a grassy area near the pond for a picnic but I don't remember a picnic table. There is also an additional trail that goes around the pond. If you miss Stagecoach Rd., Rines Rd. also intersects with Rt. 28. I think I have the hiking map around somewhere. If I find it I'll scan it in! Have a great hike!

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CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

[mcdude]

click here for brochure

click here for map

Take a hike!! - McD

[Megawatt]

Cool! Thanks everyone, we're going tomorrow morning!

[mcdude]

[Megawatt]

Great! A very nice walk, despite the oppressive humidity. No one was there, we had the place to ourselves. You were right on McDude, a level walk and perfect for lugging a toddler. She practically fell asleep while I sweated away!
I think we'll go back in the fall, should be quite beautiful then......

[ralph]

If anyone is feeling a little more adventurous there is a cliff above the pond which has some very nice views. There is no official trail from the pond that I know of but you can bushwhack up the hill from the east side of the pond. The cliff is on Mt Long Stack. The hike is steep and will take about 15-30min

Here is a topo map of knights Pond and Mt. Long Stack

[mcdude]

From the Baysider

Students learn history and science on trip to Knight's Pond
BY TIM CROES
Staff Writer
ALTON — Laurie Griggs, a social studies teacher at Alton Central School, recently
took her students on an interesting field trip in to Knight’s Pond. The pond is located on the border of Alton and Wolfeboro. Griggs took three student groups and visited
the pond on three different days in September. Each day, the groups were split into two groups, and they hiked the trail around the pond and met at a bridge at the other side of the pond. One group was guided through the area by Griggs and she explained the history of the property. The other group was guided by Sarah Dunham, who works at Prescott Farms. Dunham told the students about the
local vegetation and plant life that was growing around the pond. The group then met at the bridge, and they switched guides. Griggs assigned each student to write an essay talking about what life was like back in the day, or about the different types of wild life that they were surrounded by. Dunham compiled a list of
more than 30 different
COURTESY PHOTO
STUDENTS talk and discuss the different plants found along the trail at Knight’s Pond.
COURTESY PHOTO
CLASSMATES line up in the middle of a path where the two wooded sections
are completely different.
species and divided the list into edibles and medicinals. One of the more interesting
objects that was discovered during the walk was Chicken of The Woods mushroom. Dunham actually took the mushroom home and cooked it and brought it back in for the kids to taste. She said that it does in fact taste like chicken. Some other interesting species found around the pond include:Jack in the Pulpit (root), Hemlock Reishi (mushroom), Turkey Tail (mushroom), Hobblebush (berries) and Wild Sasparilla (root). During her tour, Griggs talked to the students about
logging of the area, sheep farming that occurred in the mid 1800s, different crops
and pastures that were laid out on the property and the evidence of stone walls that was used to keep animals out. At one point Griggs had the students stand right in the middle of the walking path and look in opposite directions and then compare the notes on each piece of property. The two properties varied
dramatically because one was heavily logged,while the other was virtually untouched. The field trip was definitely something that the students and enjoyed, and it was a great way to educate the students on the surrounding area by being outside of the classroom.